No luck for Newbridge College who suffer fourth consecutive Leinster final loss
Newbridge College's sensational winger Luke Kelly hands off Wesley College's full back Max Colbert during the Leinster Rugby Schools Senior League Division 1A final at Energia Park, Dublin. Photo: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Newbridge College's 11-year wait to recapture the Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior League Division 1A title continues after a heartbreaking defeat to Wesley College on Wednesday evening under the lights in Energia Park, Donnybrook.
Wesley ran in three tries to capture only their second ever Division 1A title, having previously won in 2000.
For Newbridge, it is a fourth consecutive defeat in the final as they were left to rue a number of handling and timing errors throughout the final.
Johne Murphy's side came into the game having ground out victories over St Gerard's of Bray and Cistercian College Roscrea in the previous two rounds. Wesley, meanwhile, overcame Kilkenny College before defying the odds in the semi-finals to beat the competition's most successful team and winners of the the last six titles in a row, Gonzaga College.
The final was practically a home a game for Wesley, with the school located less than 7km from Energia Park, but the travelling Newbridge fans were the louder of the two sets of supporters from start to finish.
The Dublin school were on the board after just three minutes when Nathan Heatley crossed for a try. Max Rainbow's clearance kick was blocked down by lock Isaac Reid and after a series of pick-and-goes Wesley went wide where their inside centre dotted down for the score. Scrum half Johnny Woods added the extras.
The next 15 minutes were played in Wesley's half, as Newbridge's international front-rowers Brion Donagh and Jamie Bohan led the way with some big, abrasive carries before another member of the Ireland U18 Schools team, fly half Michael Kenny, slotted a penalty to get the Kildare school on the board after 18 minutes.
But Wesley replied with force, attacking the Newbridge line with a driving maul off a lineout before a pick-and-go from Charlie Whelan saw the flanker cross for a try in the 23rd minute, which Woods - also part of the Ireland schools setup along with his number eight, Thibault Campbell - converted again.
Newbridge lost prop Ruairi Harrington to the sin bin, but were the better team in his absence despite the numbers.
Newbridge's fourth Irish international, Luke Kelly, along with his fellow winger Achille Crosato and full back Johnny Martin looked deadly in open play, but the Kildare school could not create another score, and finding themselves on the wrong side of referee Ciaran O'Flynn's whistle, went into half time with a 14-3 deficit.
Wesley only needed five minutes of the second half to add a third try when some soft hands out wide saw Heatley release winger Matthew Wystepek, who showed tremendous speed to race away for the score.
Newbridge hit back just four minutes later with a try when number eight Saul Brewster emerged with the ball from underneath a powerful driving maul. Kenny added the extras from out on the sideline to leave nine points between the sides with 25 minutes remaining.
Newbridge needed the next score, but Wesley soaked up an enormous amount of pressure over the next 20 minutes to keep Johne Murphy's side at bay.
The closing stages were marred by errors from Newbridge, but they did power their way over for a second try with one minute left on the clock when second row Jack Garvey touched down at the back back of a driving maul. Another conversion from the sideline from Kenny left just two points in the difference.
Newbridge were forced to run the ball out from their own try-line and made it almost to the Wesley 22. With the clock deep in the red, Kenny attempted a drop what would have been a title-winning goal, but it drifted under the crossbar and out to spell the end of the game.
A fourth successive final defeat will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Newbridge players, coaches and supporters, but each one can be proud of their efforts. They now turn their attention to the new year and the Leinster Schools Cup.
Johnny Martin; Achille Crosato, Brian McCarthy, Tom Martin, Luke Kelly; Michael Kenny (1 pen, 2 cons), Max Rainbow; Ruairi Harrington, Brion Donagh, Jamie Bohan; Jack Garvey (1 try), Ryan Conroy; Cillian O'Donovan, Jonathan Fardy, Saul Brewster (1 try).
Eoghan Hearne, Finn Majury, Paddy White, Daniel Collins, Bobby Flanagan, Harry Mahon, Adam Kennedy, Finn Keogh.
Max Colbert; Matthew Wystepek (1 try), Ruairi Fox, Nathan Heatley (1 try), Alex Hamilton; Zach Sidebottom, Johnny Woods (2 cons); Tom Burke, Oliver Gaynor, Evan Caddow; Conrad Anwyl, Isaac Reid; Rueben Neill, Charlie Whelan (1 try), Thibault Campbell.
James Beattie, Malachy Ngawini, Sam Maguire, Kian Fredericks, Jake Carswell, Henry Clark, Rhys Dixon, Ross Collins.
Ciaran O'Flynn
